COUNCILLOR Gunther's remarkable ability to be over indulgent and misleading with her comments (Your Letters, Feb 18) shows her to be a tiresome party-political hack, the sort that tenants have had enough of. You can tell the local elections are coming up!

Bury's housing service is currently undergoing a major review and, working with tenants, we are determined to improve performance and to develop it to deliver the efficient and effective housing service that we should all demand.

The review is being conducted in a thorough and inclusive way and Coun Gunther is playing her part. What has come out of this review so far is that if the housing service is to improve then extra investment is required. Tenant representatives have reached their conclusion and have voted to support an increase in rents. What they have also said, however, is that they want guarantees that such an increase will achieve improvements in estate management, debt recovery and the turnover of empty properties. With this extra involvement, improvements in performance can be achieved.

Just as importantly this council, in partnership with all shareholders in the housing service, tenants, staff, voluntary groups and other key services, is determined to ensure that this review is carried out in a constructive and helpful climate. What does not help our tenants is to treat our housing service as some sort of political football, where the only motivation for Coun Gunther is the needs of her party, not that those of our tenants.

There is a lot that is good about our housing service, as well as a lot that must improve. Let's ensure that with some extra involvement and encouragement, housing services in Bury will be just as good as our excellent education services, refuse collection services, library services and many more.

COUN KEVIN SCARLETT,

cabinet member,

housing, health

and social services.

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